提要
在本章我們看到有一個支派──利未人──特別被分別出來服事上帝；他們的組織和服事表明了敬拜的重要性。數點利未人的方式也不同於其他支派，利未人中凡出生一個月以上的男子都要數點（3︰15），並且數點的目的不是為了兵役，而是要把他們分別出來專門從事上帝的聖職。
上帝指派亞倫作利未人的首領；利未人要協助身負重任的祭司。上帝一定會賜下所需的援助給祂呼召出來負責大事工的人。利未人第一要對上帝負責，然後對亞倫和眾祭司負責；他們也有責任服事所有以色列會眾。上帝把以色列人屬靈的福祉交託在他們手中，他們也可以到上帝的面前。
亞倫兩個較小的兒子很聰明（不像他們的哥哥拿答和亞比戶；利未記十章），因為他們在父親的面前服事，由父親密切的監督他們，使一切事都照著上帝所指示的去行（3︰4）。他們非常留意上帝的警告，也證明自己配承擔祭司的職任。較年長的以利亞撒是利未人眾首領的領袖（3︰32），後來代替他的父親亞倫作大祭司。以他瑪則被上帝指派負責看守聖所（4︰28、33）。
上帝揀選利未的子孫來代替以色列人所有的長子，是有原因的。當年上帝在埃及時藉著逾越節拯救了百姓的頭生子（出12︰12~13；13︰1），但後來這群百姓卻犯了大罪，只有利未支派在金牛犢事件中，與摩西站在同一陣線上（出32︰26），上帝就特別揀選利未支派來代替。當然上帝揀選利未支派也是出於祂的恩典，這樣其他支派的每一個家庭就不致與他們親愛的長子分開，而能維持一個完整的單位一起工作。然而，上帝為了我們，並不愛惜自己的獨生子，而將祂給了我們（羅8︰32），祂的大愛就在此顯明了。
數點結果發現，以色列人的頭生子比能代替他們的利未人多出了二百七十三位，以色列人要用一定的銀子將他們贖回。耶穌基督的教會被稱為那「頭生」者的教會（西1︰15~18），我們這些屬祂的成員不像舊約那樣用銀子買贖，而是用上帝兒子寶貴的血贖回；祂用自己的血使我們成為上帝君尊的祭司（彼前1︰18~19；啟1︰5~6）。
利未三子的子孫各負不同的責任。革順族負責帳幕和罩棚；哥轄族（摩西和亞倫的家室）負責會幕內部的聖物；米拉利族則負責會幕外面的部分。看這三組訓練有素的隊伍支搭、拆卸這麼巨大的建築物，一定令人嘆為觀止。他們的責任基本上就是服事、幫助、和保護會幕。他們安營在會幕的北、西、南三邊，摩西和祭司亞倫家族則安營在東邊最尊榮的位置。當祭司和利未人在會幕裡供職時，近前來的「外人」──也就是任何沒有權利進會幕的人──必被治死（3︰10），因為只有上帝指派的人才能執行服事。
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Overview
In this chapter, we see the separation of a single tribe, the Levites, for divine service and their organization by God, expressing the importance of worship. Their census, however, was different from that of the other tribes. They were not to be counted for military duty, but all the males one month old and upward were counted (3:15), for they were being set apart for the sacred service of the Lord.
We learn that God appointed Aaron to be chief over the Levites and they were to aid the priests who had a great job to do. To those who are called by God for a large task, He will give the help they need. The Levites were responsible firstly to God, then to Aaron and the priests; and the Levities were responsible to serve all the congregation of Israel. They were entrusted with the people’s spiritual well-being and enabled to have access to God.
Aaron’s two younger sons were wise (unlike their two older brothers, Nadab and Abihu; Lev.10) for they remained under the close watch of their father (3:4), making sure that all was done just as the Lord had prescribe. They took heed to the warnings of God and proved themselves worthy. The elder of the two, Eleazar, was chief over the leaders of the Levites (3:32), and later replaced his father Aaron as high priest. Ithamar was appointed by God to be in charge of the Tabernacle (4:28, 33).
The descendants of Levi were taken by God in place of the first-born Israelites from whom God had made provision to save in Egypt with the Passover (Ex. 12:12-13; 13:1). Because of the sin of the people, God limited His choice to the tribe of Levi, who had shown their loyalty to Him by going on His side with Moses in the sinful incident of the golden calf (Ex.32:26). It was also out of the graciousness of God that He took the Levites, rather than having the families of every tribe part with their beloved first-born son. In this way, all the families could remain as a unit working together. Yet for us, God, in His great love, did not spare His own beloved first-born Son but gave Him for us (Rom.8:32).
When it was discovered that there were 273 more first-born males among the tribes than there were Levites to replace them, those extra men were to be redeemed from service by the payment of a certain measure of weight in silver. The church of Jesus Christ is called the Church of the First-Born (Col. 1:15-18), and we who are members of His church have not been redeemed with silver, as those of the Old Covenant were, but by the precious blood of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ who has made us kings and priests to God (1 Pet.1:18-19; Rev.1:5-6).
The descendants of Levi’s three sons were assigned specific duties. The Gershonites were responsible for the tent and coverings; the Kohthites (the family of Moses and Aaron) for the inner, most sacred furniture; the Merarites for the external parts of the Tabernacle. It must have been marvelous to see these well-trained teams put up and take down this large structure. Their tree-fold duties were basically to serve, help, and guard. They encamped on the three sides of the Tabernacle with Moses and the priestly family of Aaron in the honored place at the east side. Upon the treat of death, no “outsider”, that is anyone lacking the authorization, was to come near when the priests and Levites were attending to their sacred duties (3:10); for services to the Lord may be performed only by those whom the Lord appoints.
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